The invention relates to a machine tool of the type including a tool exchanger.
A machine tool of the conventional type disclosed in DE 196 00 055 A1 includes a tool exchanger with longitudinal and latitudinal spars connected to a jointed rectangle via cross-spars, whereby the longitudinal spars may be driven about axes parallel to one another. The conventional solution requires a relatively large space that is often not available because of the close proximity to the tool spindle. Also, adequate stability may be achieved by the multi-part conventional solution only using large dimensions. The concomitant high weight limits the potential exchange speed.
A device for the transport of machine tools that includes a threaded rod connected to a motor that moves along a fixed worm gear is also known from DE 44 06 386 A1. The drive of the first threaded rod is connected to a second threaded rod of the same transmission ratio. The second threaded rod is connected to a worm gear bearing the tool. A transmission provided with a coupling is positioned between the two threaded rods. Use of worm gear drives limits the displacement speed of the tool.
Based on this state of the art, it is the task of this invention to create a machine tool of the discussed type that includes a space-saving, stable, and rapid tool exchanger.
The solution of this task derives from a machine tool, in accordance with the present invention, comprising a tool spindle (1; 1xe2x80x2) rotatable about a spindle axis (1a) and a tool exchanger including at least one pivotable gripper (2; 2xe2x80x2) for displacing tool holders (4) or tools between a receiving position in the tool spindle (1; 1xe2x80x2) and a storage position or vice versa. The orientation of the tool holder (4) or tools in the receiving and storage positions is identical, and wherein the storage position and receiving position are displaced with respect to each other along the direction of the spindle axis (1a) of the machine tool (1; 1xe2x80x2).
The machine tool of the present invention also includes transport mechanism that includes a driven inclined carrier element (3; 3xe2x80x2) rotatable about a pivot axis (5) inclined to the spindle axis (1a), to which carrier element (3; 3xe2x80x2) and the at least one pivotable gripper (2; 2xe2x80x2; 2xe2x80x3) are connected about mutually-perpendicular axes, and wherein guide elements (10) are included on and driven by said carrier element (3; 3xe2x80x2) that include a central drive gear wheel (3a). The carrier element (3; 3xe2x80x2) are mounted such that they may rotate about a first axes (8) that is parallel to the pivot axis (5) in the direction opposite to a pivoting movement of the carrier element (3; 3xe2x80x2) about the pivot axis (5). Each of these first axes (8) are connected to the at least one gripper (2; 2xe2x80x2; 2xe2x80x3) and wherein the at least one gripper rotates about second axes (9) extending parallel to the spindle axis (1a).The components possess relatively low mass, so that the tool exchanger may switch rapidly. Only one rotatable carrier element is provided to which grippers are mounted and guided along their unalterable directions.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention may be derived from the dependent claims recited herein.